South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Ó Donnghaile voices support for library retention

Published: 12 February, 2010

East Belfast Sinn Féin representative Niall Ó Donnghaile, speaking after earlier in the week attending a consultation on the future of library provision in Belfast which took place in the Mount Conference centre, has said that he will be supporting the retention of accessible, modern and community based library provision in East Belfast.

Niall Ó Donnghaile said,

"This was one in a series of meetings being held across the city. The main thrust of the meeting, with members of the public venting it pretty clearly, was that they believed there is nothing wrong with the libraries that exist, that the review was unnecessary and that to remove the existing library provision would have a truly detrimental effect on the community.

"People were angry, some were emotional, and some people made the case that the library was a resource to help them learn English, to get our elderly neighbours out of the house for a while and save heating at home. Others made the case that they either couldn't afford to travel to a library further away if the local ones were to close, some made the point that as disabled people they weren't able to travel any further than their local library.

"It's important to remember also the role the local, established libraries play to for schools in this part of the city.

"Most people support library provision and the public feeling at this meeting made it clear to me that the people in East Belfast are focussed and determined in relation to this matter.

"Like many throughout the city I will be watching the progress of this consultation carefully, I will be supporting the retention of accessible, modern and community based library provision in what is the ninth most socio-economically deprived electoral ward in the North".

CRÍOCH